Last month, it was confirmed that not only had the popular Disney Infinity video game series been canceled but that The Walt Disney Company was getting out of video game publishing entirely, opting instead to license out their properties instead.
DISNEY CHANNEL COMEDY SERIES ‘STUCK IN THE MIDDLE’ RENEWED FOR SEASON TWO
Disney Channel has renewed the hit series “Stuck in the Middle” after its strong debut season with executive producer Linda Videtti Figueiredo at the helm. The single camera comedy stars Jenna Ortega as the middle child, Harley Diaz, who’s living in a household bustling with nine people — two parents and seven kids — each with distinct personalities and conflicting schedules. The series will resume production on its second season in the fall as new episodes continue to premiere Fridays (8:00-8:30 p.m. ET) on Disney Channel.
Photos and press materials are available here.
“Stuck in the Middle” also stars Isaak Presley as Ethan, Ronni Hawk as Rachel, Kayla Maisonet as Georgie, Nicolas Bechtel as Lewie, Malachi Barton as “Beast,” Ariana Greenblatt as Daphne, Cerina Vincent as Suzy and Joe Nieves as Tom.
Adam Bonnett, executive vice president, Original Series, Disney Channels Worldwide, said, “Linda and her team have delivered a standout among all kids programming. Our viewers have connected to the relatable stories, the comedic conflict of being a middle child in a big lovable family and to a lead character with a passion for all things STEM.”
Since “Stuck in the Middle” launched in February of this year, it is one of TV’s Top 5 highest rated series among Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14. Adults account for nearly one-quarter of its viewing audience — among all live-action series on kid-targeted channels, it ranks in the Top 5 among Adults 18-49 and Women 18-49. During 1Q 2016, the series reached 27 million Total Viewers in the U.S. and nearly one million in Canada.
Set in a suburb of Massachusetts, the comedic slice of life stories place Harley in the heart of the home, using her inventions to navigate her life as the middle child in the Diaz family. Season two stories will delve further into Harley’s relationship with her siblings.
Linda Videtti Figueiredo (“Rules of Engagement” and “Last Man Standing”) is the executive producer. The series was created by Alison Brown (“Dog With a Blog”). It is from Horizon Productions, Inc., and carries a TV-G parental guideline.
Disney announces a fresh ‘Frozen’ bonanza
Rather than Let It Go, Disney is making its Frozen franchise snow. The Mouse House has announced an extension of the brand called Frozen Northern Lights, featuring books, animated shorts and a TV special.
Walt Disney World Resort Launches Summer Vacation Season with Magical Premieres at Magic Kingdom
Classic Disney characters will join contemporary animated film stars beginning June 17 in a new extravaganza on the grand Cinderella Castle stage, and Magic Kingdom guests can experience a new dining adventure.
- For the first time, Tiana of “Princess and the Frog,” and Rapunzel of “Tangled,” co-star with Anna and Elsa of “Frozen,” and a host of favorite Disney characters in the new Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire. Performed on the grandest stage in the kingdom, the star-studded tale of friendship presents Mickey Mouse and his troupe of Merry Makers – Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Goofy – who invite 10 new friends from different animated worlds to join the celebration. This “timeless fairytale” of a show combines grand dance, fireworks and stunts with memorable music, an original song and special effects.
- Disney Parks will welcome Elena of Avalor, Disney’s first princess inspired by diverse Latin cultures. Elena of Avalor will appear at Walt Disney World Resort later this summer and at Disneyland Resort in the fall, following her television debut in a new animated series this summer on Disney Channel.
- Next door to the legendary Jungle Cruise, guests can enjoy the bold flavors of “World Famous Jungle Cuisine” served by the wisecracking crew of the new Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen. It’s the first Disney full-service restaurant themed after a specific park attraction.
Disney Sets Opening Record With ‘Nemo’ Sequel ‘Finding Dory’
Walt Disney Co.’s long-awaited sequel “Finding Dory” set an opening record for an animated movie, topping the box office this weekend.The film, a follow-up to the 2003 hit “Finding Nemo,” collected $136.2 million in theaters in the U.S and Canada…..
YO-KAI WATCH™ Season Two Premieres On Disney XD Monday, August 1st At 12:30 ET/PT With 50 Episodes!
LEVEL-5 abby Inc.‘s hit series YO-KAI WATCH™ is continuing its North American expansion — with a season two pick-up by Disney XD for 50 episodes, near-doubling season one’s 26-episode run. Additionally, all 26 episodes of season one are now streaming on Netflix.
YO-KAI WATCH — Dracunyan to the rescue
YO-KAI WATCH — Nate and his new Yo-Kai Model Zero Watch
YO-KAI WATCH — Komasan to the rescue
YO-KAI WATCH — More other-worldly adventures
YO-KAI WATCH – Join Nate and Jibanyan in Season Two
The second season on Disney XD will premiere on Monday, August 1st at 12:30 ET/PT. The expanded 50-episode second season run features:
- Over 90+ new Yo-kai
- More wacky hijinks and hilarious Yo-kai misbehavior
- An all-new Yo-kai Watch “Model Zero” watch and new Yo-kai Medals
- More mini-adventures featuring all your favorite Yo-kai characters
Online, YO-KAI WATCH is now available for streaming on Netflix, with all 26 season one episodes now available 24/7 throughoutNorth America, as well as Australia and New Zealand, where the series and associated toys, games, comics, books, apparel and more continue to expand in popularity.
Commenting on the deal, Yukari Hayakawa, Chief Operating Officer, LEVEL-5 abby Inc., said, “At LEVEL-5 abby, we are committed to making YO-KAI WATCH available to as many of our fans as possible around the world, so they can enjoy a robust, highly-integrated viewing and play experience. With another new season on Disney XD, universal availability via Netflix, and additional access via the official YO-KAI WATCH YouTube Channel and Disney XD app, fans can now access this delightful program on any device, anywhere, at any time!”
In related news, Hayakawa also announced the launch this week of an innovative new approach to the two existing YO-KAI WATCH mobile apps –YO-KAI WATCH Wibble Wobble, with its highly entertaining mix of puzzles and RPG mechanics, and the virtual theme park YO-KAI WATCH LAND, which features games and a high degree of integration with the collectible Yo-kai Medals from Hasbro. Now, in an innovative twist, the two apps will be connected – fans can scan in their Medals, then have them appear inside both apps, where they can – varying by app — learn more about the characters, earn points for fun in-app bonuses, expand the character wiki, and more. Both apps are available on the iOS and Android platforms in North America, Australia andNew Zealand. For iOS, scan Medals here, and on Android, Medals are scannable within Yo-kai Watch Wibble Wobble.
Hayakawa said, “Our vision for all our properties is to create a robust ecosystem of physical goods integrated with all forms of entertainment, from programs to games to apps, accessible across multiple platforms. YO-KAI WATCH is a multi-verse, and our fans appreciate this aspect of Nate and Jibanyan’s world as much as they do the content itself.”
YO-KAI WATCH is a phenomenon in its native Japan. The animated show, comics and video game property have sold more than$2 billion in licensed retail merchandise sales in 15 months. The YO-KAI WATCH series has been the top-rated animated show for kids ages 4 to 12 years old on TV Tokyo, and more than 10 million Nintendo 3DS video game units and 200 million Medals have been distributed in Japan. The YO-KAI WATCH series is distinguished from other Japanese animated predecessors in its use of humor and innovative consumer product offerings. Here in the US, Nintendo has seen steadily increasing game sales, and the Hasbro boys toy line has been a top-ten seller. Over 50 licensees have signed on for the North American market to date. Look for YO-KAI WATCH in back-to-school and holiday merchandise, sold at major retailers everywhere.
‘Finding Dory’ Director Inspired to Make Sequel After Rewatching Original in 2011
In 2003, Finding Nemo was one of Pixar’s biggest hits to date. But when SuperFan recently spoke with its director, Andrew Stanton, he explained that a sequel was never in the cards. Well, until it was.
This is How Much it Costs to Visit Disney Theme Parks Around the World
On Thursday, Disney opened its sixth theme park location worldwide, in Shanghai, China. The park and resort cost about $5.5 billion to build and span an area more than 11 times the size of the original Disneyland, in Anaheim, Calif.
A look at Pixar’s real life inspiration for “Finding Dory”
For many visitors to California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium, the underwater view of the kelp forest is a highlight, but perhaps no one has ever studied the wonders of that kelp in the same detail as Steve Pilcher.
“You put the bits of leaves and bubbles on that surface, you’ve got this beautiful ceiling for our characters,” Pilcher said.
DO NOT skip the credits after “Finding Dory”!
By the time the credits roll on most movies, chances are you’re super tired of sitting in a movie theater. First you stand in line to buy snacks, then you sit through 20 minutes of trailers, then the movie finally starts and lasts anywhere from an hour and a half to three hours (in some really, really long situations).
